Lamp harness and switch



Nov. 17, 1942. E. G. GAYNOR LAMP HARNESS AND SWITCH Filed Oct. 50, 1959 Q o N V.. A a n R w m N .T. WM T W 4 DO EY 9 .m P

W 4 Q/ w. K 5 2 5 w 3 am 76 0/ K/J 5/ 3H (\I. .M w m 2 31 E) 5 I w M Patented Nov. 17, 1942 LAMP HARNESS AND SWITCH Edwin G. Gaynor, Fairfleld, Conn., .assignor to The Wheeler Insulated Wire Company,'Brldgeport, Com, a corporation oi Connecticut Application October 30, 1939, Serial No. 301,979

8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lamp harness and switch and has particular relation to a harness and switch for the mounting and control of lamps of the fluorescent type.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed descripton taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view showing the harness 01' the invention, the switching means of the invention being incorporated in said harness and shown in front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of said switch;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a closure or back plate employed as a part of the switch and which plate has the contact elements of the switch and certain other parts mounted thereon to form an assembly unit therewith;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the back plate with a push-button mounted thereon;

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the complete switch;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view through one push-button section of the switch;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken through the other push-button section of the switch;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of a contact employed;

Fig. 9 is a perspective of a push-button employed;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the switch body alone;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken as along the line of Fig. 10 and showing a contact in relation to said body.

Referring in detail to the drawing my improved switch generally designated I0 comprises a body formed of porcelain or other insulating material, and a back closure plate I2, also of insulating material, as, for example, a sheet of fibrous material. Body II is open at its rear side and in its front wall is provided with a pair of spaced opening I3 and M for the passage of pushbuttons l5 and I6 respectively. In its rear side adjacent its ends, the body II is provided with recesses I1 and I8 receiving terminal blocks l9 and respectively which are held in place as by means the said body. Preferably the upper or outer ends of such rivets are covered by an insulating material as at 22. g

0n the other or bottom side of the plate l2 are four terminals 23, 24, and 28 equipped with binding posts 21, 28, 29 and 30 respectively. At the inner side of plate |2 are switch contact elements 3|, 32, 33 and 34 of which those numbered 3| and 32 comprise a pair while those numbered 33 and 34 comprise a second pair. Rivets 35 passing through the mentioned terminals and the said switch contacts secure the said terminals and contacts to the plate whereby an assembly unit is provided; In this connection it is noted that the terminals and contacts may be easily and quickly secured to the plate when the latter is apart from the body II and access to all parts of the plate readily had.

In order that the functions of the various parts may later be better understood it is here pointed out that the rivets 35 serve not only to mechanically connect the terminals and switch contact elements with the plate but serve also toelectrically connect particular terminals and particular switch contacts. Thus contact 3| is connected with terminal 23; contact 32 is connected with terminal 24;- contact 33 is connected with terminal 26 and contact 34 is connected with terminal 25. The switch contacts 33 and 34 are of similar construction and each comprises an attaching portion 36 through which the rivets 35 pass and a spring tongue-like portion 31 located in a plane above the said attaching portion and located in spaced parallel relation as shown in Fig. 3. The pair of contacts 3| and 32 are also of the same construction and each comprises an attaching portion 38 through which the rivets 35 pass and an upper bowed spring portion 39. v

The push buttons l5 and I6 are of identical construction and each carries a contact element identical with the element carried by the other. However since the said elements are mounted on the respective buttons in different positions it is thought best to give diflferent numbers to the different portions of the said buttons and to the contact elements thereon. Thus push button l5 comprises an elongated shell like portion 40 open through its inner end and about such inner end provided with a head 4| of enlarged diameter. Similarly push button l6 includes an elongated shell-like portion 42 open through its inner end and about such end provided with a head-like portion 43 of enlarged diameter. The contact of rivets 2| passing through the terminals and elements on the respective buttons l5 and I6 are designated 44 and 45 respectively and one of said contacts is shown alone in detail in Fig. 8.

In said Fig. 8 contact 44 is shown as formed from a single piece of brass or other conducting material and comprises a body 46 in the form of an annulus having an opening 41 therethrough of a diameter greater than that of the openings in the elongated portions of the push buttons and somewhat less than the diameters of the headlike portions of said button. Extending laterally from diametrically opposite sides of the body 45 are contact lugs 48 and 49 each of which may on its contact engaging side be provided with a raised spot or tit-like portion 50. Integral with the body 46 and bent out of the plane thereof are attaching lugs by means of which the contacts 44 and 45 are attached to the push buttons l5 and |6 respectively. As here shown four such attaching lugs are provided although it will be apparent that such number is not controlling and may be varied as found desirable.

Contract 44 is applied to the push button |5 by placing the body of such contact against the lower end of the head 4| of such button and bending the lugs 5| about such head. With this arrangement the contact lugs 48 and 49 proiect beyond the edges of said head 4| and the body of the contact is held against the inner end of such head. The diameter of the opening 41 is such that its edges are spaced from the lower open end of the hollow button. Contact 45 is applied to the button l6 by passing the portion 42 of such button through the opening 41 in said contact whereby to dispose the body of the contact on the upper side of the head 43. Thereafter the attaching lugs 5| of the contact are bent about the head and have their ends against the lower or inner side thereof but in such relation as not to extend into or across the opening through such end of the button. Thus in the manner described the contacts 44 and 45 are securely fastened to the head portions of the buttons |5 and l6 respectively.

A condenser 52 is connected with the terminals 24 and 25 on the back plate l2 and thus said condenser is across the switch contacts 32 and 34. Leads 53 from the condenser are relatively short and stiff and are connected with the terminals as by being soldered or otherwise permanently attached thereto. Thus the condenser is connected with and physically supported by the back plate I2 and forms part of the above mentioned assembly unit. This condenser serves to suppress radio broadcasting by a fluorescent lamp connected with switch ID as will hereinafter more fully appear. Here it is noted that my tests and experiments show that for the intended purpose the condenser should be of about .004 microfarads capacity.

In assembling the switch III the push button l5 having the contact element 44 applied thereto is inserted into the body H by dropping its portion 4|] through the opening l3 in the front wall of the body. Thereafter a coil spring 54 is dropped into such hollow elongated button portion, the length of the spring being such that its end projects through the inner open end of the button.

Next a coil spring 55, identical with the spring 54, is dropped into the button |5 through the inner open end thereof and is of such length as to project from the said end. Now button I8 is mounted on plate |2 by compressing spring 55 and engaging the contact lugs 48 and 49 of contact element 45 with the inner or under sides of the upper portions of the contact elements 3| 'and 32 as shown best in Fig. 4. The spring 55 is acting to press outwardly on the button and thus the contact lugs 48 and 49 are held against the inner sides of the portions 39 and the but-' ton and associated parts kept in proper relation on the back plate l2.

Now the back plate |2 is applied to the body H. In this operation the button I6 has its elongated portion 42 passed through the opening H in the front wall of the body and the contact part 31 of contact elements 33 and 34 are located at the respective sides of the projecting end portion of spring 54 and the free end of the latter is against the inner side of plate |2. Thus both coil springs 54 and 55 are compressed between the said plate l2 and the closed outer ends of the respective push buttons.

Spring 54 serves to normally maintain the contact 44 spaced from the contact elements 33 and 34 whil spring 55 normally maintains the contact 45 in engagement with the pair of contact elements 3| and 32. A bolt 56 passes centrally through the body Hi and the back plate l2 and a nut 51 on said bolt serves in part to secure the body and back plate together. In addition sunken headed rivets 58 serve to secure such parts together as in Fig. 5. Obviously on depressing button |8 against the action of coil spring 55 the contact 45 will be moved from engagement with the elements 3| and 32 opening the circuit between them while on depression of button |5 the contact 44 will be moved into bridging engagement with the pair of elements 33 and 34 to complete a circuit between them.

Deformation of the contact elements 3| and 32 due to the normal constant pressure against their under or inner surfaces by the contact 45, urged on by the spring 55, is prevented owing to the construction of the body- |0. The relationship of these particular parts is shown best in Fig. 11. There it will be noted that the inner surface of the outer wall of the body In is provided with curved depressions 59 receiving the bowed or curved portions 39 of the elements 3| and 32. Thus the said portions of the elements are supported by the wall of body l0 and said elements will not be deformed by the constant pressure exerted against them.

Spring 54 normally maintains the outer surface of the button head 4| against the inner surface of the body ||l whereby any bodily turn ing movement of the button relative to the body I0 is resisted. The pressing of the contact lugs 48 and 49 against the contact elements 3| and 32 also sets up a resistance to any casual turning movement of the push button I6. In connection with any turning of the push buttons it is noted that should such buttons turn out of proper positions they would not hold the contacts 44 and 45 in alignment with the respective pairs of contact elements comprising the pairs 33 and 34 and 3| and 32.

In addition to the action exerted by the coil springs as above set out it is noted that the ends of the contact lugs 48 and 49 are located adja-. cent vertical shoulders 60 within the body l8 and that such shoulders are so related to the end portions of said lugs 48 and 49 as to prevent any appreciable turning movement of the contacts 44 and 45 and thus of the buttons. It is also noted that the shoulders 60 extending in the direction of movements of the buttons during depression thereof will act as guides. and

prevent any turning movements of the contacts during reciprocable movement thereof and when the latter are in any positions to which they may be depressed.

The switch i6 is for use with a fluorescent lamp and in Fig. 1 the complete lamp harness, including the switch, is shown. The lamp harness in addition to the switch i6 includes a choke coil 6|, sockets 62 and 63 and certain necessary wiring to be described. Terminal i6 is provided with binding posts 64 and 66, while terminal 26 is provided with binding posts 66 and 61.

Lead-in wires to be connected with a source of current are shown at 66 and 66 and are connected with the terminals l6 and 26 respectively by the binding posts 66 and 61 respectively.

Wires 16 and 1| connect the choke coil 6| with the terminals 26 and 24 by being attached to the binding posts 66 and 26 respectively. Wires 12 and 13 from the socket 62 are connected with the terminals 26 and 26 respectively by means 01' the binding posts 36 and ,21 respectively. Wires I4 and I6 from the socket 63 are connected with the terminals i6 and 25 respectively by means of the binding posts 64 and 26 respectively.

The sockets 62 and 63 are shown in detail in and comprise the invention of my application Serial Number 283,849, filed July 11, 1939. Such sockets are each provided in their forward wall or face with a pair of slots 16 and 11 giving access to spaced contacts 16 and 16 respectively, connected with the respective wires to the switch i0.

Spaced contact pins (not shown) on the ends of fluorescent lamps are received inthe slots 16- and I1 and establish electrical contact with the elements 16 and 19. In the drawing the sockets are shown facing one another by the dotted lines and a fluorescent lamp 60 is also shown by dotted lines as connected with such sockets. Each socket is shown provided with a spring clip 6| to receive the ends of the lamp and thus support the latter.

It will be understood that when the harness is to be used in a direct current installation, a resistor will be substituted for the choke coil 6|.

With this harness, the lamp 66 being extin-' guished and the wires 68 and 66 connected with a source of current, there will be no flow through the lamp: When the lamp is to be lighted, pushbutton i6 is depressed to bring contact 44 into engagement with elements 33 and 34.

Then a circuit will be completed from wire 66 through terminal i6 to wire 14 to contact 16 of socket 63, through the terminal pins and the end filament of lamp 60 to socket contact I6 and wire 15 to terminal 25 and contact element 34, through contact 44 to element 33 to wire 12 and contact 16 of socket 62, through the terminal pins and the filament at the other end of lamp 60 to contact 16 to wire 13 to element 3|, through push-button contact 45 to element 32 and wire 1| through choke coil 6| to wire 16 and through terminal 20 and thus to wire 66 completing the circuit.

Push-button I is held depressed or in circuit closing position but a moment. Thus the pushbutton is held depressed only for a time suflicient to have the current heat up the filaments oi the lamp 66 and vaporize themercury in the lamp. Thereafter the said push-button is released and the spring 64 shifts such button and its contact 44 opening the circuit between the elements 33 and 34. However, the mercury now being vaporized in the lamp the current flow is through the lamp vapor and the lamp is lighted. To extinguish the lamp the push button i6 is momentarlly depressed carrying contact 46 away from the elements 3| and 32 to open the lamp circuit. When such contact 46 is moved from elements 6| and 32 and the circuit broken through the lamp, the vapor in the lamp condenses and on release of the button l6 and return of contact 45 into engagement with elements 3| and 32 the lamp remains extinguished.

The lamp harness of Fig. 1 is complete. As above suggested a resistor will be substituted for or put in series with the choke coil 6| when the harness is to be used with direct current. The fluorescent type 01' lamps broadcast and the condenser 62 of about .004 mid. serves to suppress such broadcasting. Such condenser will not entirely eliminate the broadcasting by the tube or lamp but it will rather well suppress it. It is noted that the condenser is physically mounted on the back plate i2 and thus forms a unit therewith when assembling the switch. Obviously when such plate is removed from the body all parts of the switch are fully exposed for replacement or repair and this means that during assembly of the switch all parts are readily fastened in place since they are fully exposed and there need be no fitting of any part into a cramped space.

Attention is directed to the fact that the switch of the invention might be described as a momentary switch. The contacts 44 and 45 have normal positions from which they may be manually moved but to which they return immediately on release. For lighting and extinguishing of the lamp it is necessary that the push-button l5 be but momentarily held in circuit closing position and that the push-button i6 be but momentarily held in open circuit position. The terminals for the choke coil and for the power lead-in wires are all mounted on the same body or block II of insulating material thus forming a compact unit readily placed in use with a lamp.

It is also noted that the push buttons l5 and I6 are of the same identical construction as are the contacts 44 and 45 on such buttons. Thus there is a simplification of parts and in making up the switch it is but necessary to mount the contact 44 on the inner end of button is while mounting contact 45 on the upper side of the head of button l6. As noted above the various terminals and binding posts and switch contact elements are mounted directly on the back plate i 2 thus forming a simple assembly unit.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A lamp harness for a fluorescent lamp having a filament at each end and a pair of pin terminals for each filament, said harness comprising a switch block, a pair of terminals mounted on said block, lead-in wires connected with the respective terminals of said pair, two pairs of spaced contacts on said block, a choke coil, wires connecting said choke coil with one of said terminals and one of said contacts, a pair of sockets each adapted to receive the pin terminals at one end of a fluorescent lamp and each including a pair of spring contacts for engagement with'said pin terminals, wires connecting the respective spring contacts of one socket with a contact of each of said pair, wires connecting the respective spring contacts of the other socket with the other contact of one of'said pair and with one of said terminals, a condenser connected with a contact of each of said pair and physically supported by said block to form a unit therewith and of a capacity to suppress radio broadcastin from a fluorescent lamp mounted by said sockets, a first switch means on said block and normally in circuit closing relation with the contacts of one of saii pairs of contacts, a second switch means on said block and normally in open circuit relation to the contacts of the other of said pairs of contacts, and said first switch means adapted to be manually held in open circuit position and said second switch means adapted to be manually held in closed circuit position.

2. In a switch unit for use in a fluorescent lamp circuit, a switch block of insulating material, spaced shallow recesses in said block, terminals secured in said recesses, a back plate of insulating material secured to said block, two pairs of switch contacts secured on said plate and located at the inner side thereof, a condenser physically mounted on said back plate and electrically connected with one contact element of each of said two pairs of such elements to suppress broadcasting by a fluorescent lamp connected in circuit with said elements, binding posts secured on said plate and located at the outer side thereof and electrically connected one with each of said switch contacts, a pair of movable switch contact elements located in said block at the inner side of said back plate and associated one with each pair of said contact elements, a manually operable push button connected with each of said movable switch elements and projecting through the front face of the block, and spring means associated with said push buttons and normally acting to retain the same .n projected positions and thereby maintain the movable switch contact element of one button in engagement with each contact element of one pair and to maintain the other movable contact element out of engagement with the contact elements of the other of said pairs, said first button adapted on being depressed to move said movable contact and open a circuit between the contact elements of the first pair, said second button adapted on being depressed to move said second movable contact element into engagement with the second pair of said pairs of contact elements to close a circuit between them, and said spring means adapt-ed to return the buttons and movable contacts to their normal positions on release of the buttons.

3. A lamp harness for a fluorescent lamp having a filament at each end and a pair of pin terminals for each filament, said harness comprising a switch block, a pair of terminals mounted on said block, lead-in wires connected with the respective terminals of said pair, two pairs of spaced contacts on said block, a choke coil, wires connecting said choke coil with one of said terminals and one of said contacts,a pair of sockets each adapted to receive the pin terminals at one end of a fluorescent lamp and each including a pair of spring contacts for engagement with said pin terminals, wires connecting the respective spring contacts of one socket with a contact of each of said pair, wires connecting the respective spring contacts of the other socket with the other contact of one of said pair and with one of said terminals, a first switch means on said block and normally in circuit closing relation with the contacts of one of said pairs of contacts, a second switch means on said block and normally in open circuit relation to the contacts of the other of said pairs of contacts, and said first switch means adapted to be manually held in open circuit position and said second switch means adapted to be manually held in closed circuit position.

4. In a switch unit for use in a fluorescent lamp circuit, a body of insulating material, two pairs of Contact elements on said body, a switch element for bridging and normally closing the circuit between one pair of said contact elements, a second switch element normally outof circuit closing rela tion with the other pair of contact elements, means mounting each of said switch elements on said body for movement from and return movement to its normal position, manually operable means connected with said switch elements for moving them from their normal positions to open circuit and closed circuit position respectively, a condenser physically mounted on said body to form a unit therewith of a capacity to suppress radio broadcasting by a fluorescent lamp in circuit with said switch, and means electrically connecting said condenser with one contact element of each of said two pairs of contacts.

5. In a switching means of the class described, a body of insulating material having a pair of openings through its front wall, two pairs of spaced contacts in said body, one pair adjacent the front wall and one pair adjacent the back wall, a pair of hollow push-buttons open through their inner ends and extending one through each of said'openings, each of said push-buttons having an inner end of enlarged diameter, a perforated contact element disposed against the inner end of one of said buttons and in alignment with the contacts of one of said pairs, spring means entering the inner end of said button through he perforaton in said contact and normally maintaining said button in a position holding said element in spaced relation to the contacts of the pair adjacent the back wall, a perforated contact element about the other of said buttons and on the upper side of the enlarged inner end portion thereof and disposed at the under side of and in alignment with the contacts of the other of said pair, spring means entering the inner end of and normally maintaining said other button and its contact element in position with the latter in engagement with the inner surfaces of the contacts of said second pair whereby on depressing of said first button a circuit is closed between the contacts of the first pair and on depressing of the second button a circuit is opened between the contacts of the second pair.

6. A manual control unit for a fluorescent tube having a pair of spaced filaments and a starter circuit for heating said filaments to render said tube conductive, comprising a cover member and an insulating base having a pair of contacts secured thereon and adapted to be electrically connected in said starter circuit to form a gap therein; a bridging contact slidably mounted in said cover and normally urged out of engagement with said contacts and adapted. upon manual actuation to close said gap; a second pair of contacts secured on the base and adapted to be electrically connected in the circuit supplying energy to said tube; a second bridging contact slidably mounted in said cover normally urged into engagement with said contacts and adapted upon manual operation to momentarily open said circuit to the source of energy and render the tube inoperative; and a condenser mechanically secured to the base and electrically connected across the first-mentioned pair of contacts to suppress radio interference caused by operation of the connected tube.

7. A unit for controlling a fluorescent lamp comprising a base of insulating material; a cover secured thereto and having a pair of openings therein; push buttons of insulating material having an abutment at the inner end thereof positioned in said openings and guided by said cover to move in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the cover, said push buttons being hollow and forming a pocket therein opening to the interior of the cover; a spring located in said pocket so as to be insulated and guided thereby and engaging the base to urge said buttons into a projected positio .1 with respect to the cover as determined by said abutment; a plurality of contact means carried by said base, each adapted to be connected in a circuit and associated with one of said push buttons to be controlled thereby, the abutment on one push button having a contact thereon cooperating with the associated contact means, in the projected position, to maintain a closed circuit therethrough and the abutment on the other push button having a contact thereon and, in the projected position, cooperating with the associated contact means to maintain an open circuit therethrough; and a condenser mechanically secured to said base and electrically connected across the last-mentioned contacts.

8. A control unit for a fluorescent lamp comprising a base of insulating material; a cover secured thereto and having a pair of openings therein; push buttons positioned in said openings and guided by the cover to move in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the cover; two pairs of contacts mounted on the base, the contacts of each pair being spaced from one another to form a gap in a circuit, one pair of said contacts being located adjacent the base and the other pair of said contacts being located adjacent the cover; contact means carried by each of the push buttons for engaging and bridging the gap between said contacts, said contact means comprising two contacting surfaces disposed at opposite sides of an annular portion overlying the end of the push button, the push buttons being hollow and providing a pocket therein; and a spring located in said pocket 50 as to be guided thereby and engaging the base to force said buttons into a fully projected position with respect to the cover wherein the contact surfaces carried by one of the buttons engage the pair of contacts adjacent the cover'to form a normally closed gap, and the contact surfaces carried by the other button is moved away from the contacts of the base to maintain a normally open gap.

EDWIN G. GAYNOR. 

